The Norwalk River Watershed Association and other concerned citizens recently held “The Hazards of Artificial Turf” on Zoom.
Learn more about artificial turf and why a rapidly growing number of scientists, communities, athletes, and others are saying “no” to its ongoing use.
Hazards include exposure to toxic forever chemicals (PFAS) – children are uniquely vulnerable to them; injuries and heat stress; high cost with limited life-span; and contamination of our watershed by PFAS chemicals and microplastics. With new artificial turf fields being planned for Allen’s Meadow in Wilton and Broad River Park in Norwalk, understanding what’s at stake is an urgent matter. NRWA presents two leading experts to lay out the facts and answer viewers questions:
Kyla Bennett, PhD, JD, Director of New England Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and PEER’s Director of Science Policy. Dr. Bennett has a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Connecticut and a law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. Her familiarity with science, the law, and the inner workings of state and federal governmental agencies gives her unique insight into this issue.
Sarah F. Evans, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health and a member of the Institute for Exposomic Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Evans’ research is focused on the impacts of early life environmental exposures on nervous system development and child behavior. She is a trusted voice on the health effects of toxic chemicals and what individuals can do to protect their own health as well as how to advocate for healthier policies in their local communities.